The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-08-27

heard shout from the crowd outside.
Gaining place of safety, | laid down
my burden, cleared my eyes of the
binding smoke and looked backward.
Judge of my surprise and dread at be-
holding Noah Peters, a look of grim de-
termination on his face, running rap
idly up the ladder which the fremen
had left!
"He acts like fool Niger" said a
bystander; "but they say there's a
baby of his in the house."
Everything was explained. Noah,
coming to make his daily call for news,
had understood, in some way, that his
child had been found, and was in the
house. He had started to save her.
That portion of the ladder which
rested against the second-story window
had caught fire. AS he neared it, Noah
bounded to the ivy-trellis; and using
that frail support for foothold, drew
himself up by the water-pipe until he
disappeared amid the smoke which
burst from an upper window.
Then Uncle Abe, his countenance like
that of dead man, came to my side.
God help de boy-an' mel" he
groaned. He's done gone to death an
1 killed him. DEFY, go git dat baby.
She's slowed away in de little els
ternrn
At that moment Noah's face was
seen at the window. Framed in the
lurid glare, it looked death-stricken
and despairing. Abe fell on his knees
in the midst of the crowd. As loud as
| could shouted: Come! your child
is here" as Della, whose fear had lent
her wings, pushed her way to us, hold
ing Noah's baby to her own broad
breast.
The fire was all about him now, but
the sight of the little one for whom he
had periled life gave him new courage.
Down through the smoke and flame,
catching at the cracking trellis, touch
ing his feet on the cornices, clinging
to the pipe which had aided his ascent,
he came to us, falling, q bleeding,
burning mass on The scorched grass at
our feet.
go to your fodder, Lily" said
Uncle Abe, solemnly. 81 KANT luh
you no better'n he does. l see il
now.
Tenderly the injured man was borne
to the shelter of hospitable neighbor'
house. With him went the child"
Had Noah's life been at the mercy o.
anovelist, he might have died. AS thi:
is true story, it becomes me to say he
did not die. His recovery was no
speedily brought about, and he will
carry to his grave the marks of the in
| juries which he received that night
yet he is now restored to health, and
happier, more content and prosperous
than ever before.
In the long days Of anxious waiting
during Noah's convalescence, Abe tolC
ME, bit by bit the story of his selfsl
and criminal attempt to keep Lily.
"Ise mizzable sinner" he confessed
"Noah lowed if 'twuzn't for dat BABY
he'd go to Californy, an l reckoneC
dat # 1 could hide her awhile he'd &,
an we mout hev her. / reckermem
bered dar want no water in dat da
little cistern, so l put her in dar, an
DEFY didn' kno muffin bout it. D
baby-huh!-she wuz dat tickled wiC
her 'cubby-house' she'd a-stayed da
tell de crack O doc m!
~ stole dat truck from de pantry
but nebber did no sech Ting afoah.
Il kinder s'cused myself dat NoaI
didn't hub that baby same way we did
Now DEFY says he telled her we all Ii
togedder wen he done got well. Ain
dat good oh himP Ise afeared Ise to
mizzable sinner to lib wild anybod
but myself, but amt got no doub
but Noah'll take good car OBJ dat a
baby!"-- Walter L. Sawyer, IN YOUTH
Companion.